This exciting initiative is being supported by AdSmart from Sky, as well as several video production houses, all of whom share baggl’s desire to help the small business community.

With applications closing on 31st December 2020, the initiative will bring up to 300 small businesses onto prime-time television leading up to Christmas and into the New Year, targeting thousands of potential new customers whilst at home, with some campaigns being turned around and ready for broadcast in as little as one to two weeks.

baggl itself is a new online marketplace launching later this month, where its business and freelance members will be able to trade products and services with one another, albeit using a combination of cash and barter trade credits. Members will also be able to barter and haggle directly with each other over the price and cash vs. barter ratio, helping both parties achieve the best possible deal.

Paul Grundy, baggl’s Founder and CEO said, “As a startup ourselves we’re all too familiar with the challenges that businesses face during a more buoyant economy, let alone the current Covid-19 market conditions. Therefore we’re thrilled to be able to work with AdSmart from Sky to help small business continue advertising and on TV too, especially with so many marketing budgets being slashed right now.”

Each successful applicant will receive a 30 second localised TV commercial, including video production. The ads will be broadcast frequently over 30 days across Sky’s world class content and premium channels such as Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, MTV, National Geographical and Sky Atlantic amongst others, targeting customers based on attributes such as age, gender, income, profession, residential status, size of family, type of vehicle and even shopping habits, and within a 2.5 mile radius of their desired postcode.

David Sanderson, Director at AdSmart Local and Development, said: "AdSmart and baggl are looking forward to helping smaller businesses get onto TV. We're excited to show smaller businesses how by joining this exciting initiative, they can utilise the power of AdSmart to help grow their business even in these trying times."

Applicants will be required to match-fund the grant with an equal contribution of £3,500, totalling £7,000 for an AdSmart local TV campaign, including video production.

Here’s what a couple of early-bird applicants had to say:

Dale Agar, Wine&Something CEO, commented: “We’re a new online wine merchant, so this grant couldn’t have come at a better time for us, especially leading up to Christmas. Being able to use AdSmart’s technology to target age, demographic and even postal areas is perfect for our business and budget and helps us get more bang for our buck! Can’t believe our brand will be on TV too!! It’s great to see businesses pulling together to help one another during these unprecedented times - what a fantastic initiative!”

Paul Meston, Chief Digital Office at Sub2 added: “We’re so excited to take advantage of baggl’s grant scheme and look forward to being part of Its wider online barter community."

Businesses can apply for the grant here, with applications being processed on a first-come, first-served basis.